The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-07-15
Boyootting IN India.

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Boycotting IN India.
Boycotting, differing in some par
ticulars from the way in which il il
done in the land where the Englisl
term originated, has been practiced fo
ages in India. Says Hindoo writei
10 the 80. james Gazette: There il
great difference between Irish and
IIindoo boycotting. The former il
based mainly on political, semi .politica
or fiscal reasons; whereas the latter il
practiced on purely social or religious
grounds. Then the Irish is severel
than the Hndoo method in this sens,
that no tradesman will sell anything
to the boycotted man, who is more ol
less like prisoner in his own house
whereas boycotted Hindoo can buy
anything anywhere or go to any place
he likes, only people will not go to his
house or associate with him or hit
family in any way.
On the other hand, the Hindoo il
severer than the Irish boycottirg IN
that the latter may be only temporary,
and rises at the caprice Of the boycott
ters whereas the former is often per
manent, or can be done away with
only by going through certain expia-
tory rites or costly ceremonies, which
come hard, even on the richer Glasses.
A man may be boyootted in ireland
for no fault of his own, but in India
boycotting follows upon breach of
observance of some time-honored GUS
tom, or by any public offense against
traditional notions of propriety. In
dian boycotting is allied TO outcasting,
but is quite distinct from it and not
half 30 severe. A man may lose his
caste only by breaking one Of it's well
defined rules, which are quite different
from mere customs for observanses.
An outcast man is necessarily boycott
ted; but boycotted man keeps his
caste all right az long AZ he does not
act against it's rules. Again, a man
may be outcast, bat not his family for
that reason; yet his relations will be
boycotted if they associate with him.
Let me now cite some examples:
Some years ago learned Pundit gave
his daughter in marriage when she was
few years older than the prescribed
manageable age among the Hindoos;
and the ofense was rendered dOubly
heinous by the perpetrator being a
Brshmin of high order. He was strict
ly boycotted accordingly;and,I ! believe,
notwithstanding his great reputation az
scholar and benevolent person, and
in spite of his endeavors to propitiate
the Brahmins in many ways, he is still
avoided by orthodox Hindoos. A
whole family has been boycotted for
receiving and associating with one of
its members who returned from Eng
land and had lost his caste through
eating with Englishmen. One gentle
man has been boycotted forever for
getting his widowed daughter married.
If anybody's son or daughter-in-law
associates with non-Hindoos publicly
the offending individual is outcasted
and the whole family is boyootted. If
n son does not mourn for his deceased
father in the prescribed manner he is
boycotted. In some parts of India
men are boycotted for wearing trous-
ers of European fashion--or, indeed,
any dress that was not worn by their
ancestors of a thousand years ago. A
well known historical example of Hin
doc boycotting is that of the Jeypore
royal family, which was boycotted for
hundreds OF years by the other Raj
poot royal families for being the first
Hndoo family of princely rank who
offered daughter in marriage to a
mogul Emperor. In Rajputana whole
tribes are often boycotted if somebody
does not properly observe the tradition
al customs or forms connection with a
lower caste or with non Hindoos.
But nowadays boycotting can be
raised in India by a. judicious use of
the almighty gold. / may mention a
well-known case. A distinguished
Hindoo gentleman and merchant OF a
large Indian town was boycotted for
reforming prOpensities ILo old ortho-
dox mot ibs.snip Vi this body there are
some as certainly seems to be the case,
determined to lanc' - -Ai' ~.~ $.
.sse: , .sler, who lived in the country,
on the occasion of religious festival
directed the servants as usual to distrl-
butte offerings of rice, fruits and sweet
meats among the Brahmins of the
neighborhood. To a man they refused
to accept the same on the ground that
her son was deserting her caste. The
old lady was deeply chagrined and be
gan to be mortally afraid of the destl
nation of her soul after death. Or
hearing this her son went down to hi
country house and ordered the servants
to take the offerings again to the Brah
minis, this time placing five rupees OF
each of the plates. The expedien
answered wonderfully well. The YER
Brahmins, who few hours before ha
turned away the servant, ignominousl
now came running to the merchant
house and literally scrambled for tn
! presents. This story seems to justif
the saying of another rich Hindoo tina
''caste was in his iron chest"
) Boycotting and outcasting are mad
) doubly impressive to Hindoo womel
! apd for the most trifiing reasons.
married woman not putting the sindot
"a red powder) on the parting OF h
hair is boycotted. In the country il
,,o,har;nlawa aats or lives in the hou